Kingston Thunder alum and Seattle Mariners reliever Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) will likely begin a minor league rehab stint this week.

April 13, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:

Brash likely to begin minor league rehab stint this week

Seattle Mariners right-hander Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) threw a live batting practice session on Wednesday. This was another major step towards his return from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last May. If all goes as planned, he’ll begin a rehab assignment in triple-A Tacoma this week.

Brash had hoped to be back in the Mariners’ bullpen by the end of April, but an early May return seems more likely.

In 2023, in his second big league campaign, the 6-foot-1 righty developed into a go-to late-inning reliever for the Mariners. He led major league pitchers with 78 appearances and had a 9-4 record and a 3.06 ERA. He fanned 107 batters in 70 2/3 innings, good for a 13.6 strikeout-per-nine-inning rate.

Pivetta tosses another gem

On Friday, San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) started and allowed just three hits and struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in the Padres’ 8-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.

With the win, Pivetta boosted his record to 2-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.59 ERA this season. He has 18 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Friday’s gem represented his second scoreless outing of the season. On March 30, in his first start, he allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings to the Atlanta Braves.

The 32-year-old Canadian signed a backloaded four-year, $55-million contract with the Padres on February 17. A Junior National Team grad, Pivetta has pitched in eight previous major league seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

Romano loses closer’s job with Phillies

Thanks to his early season struggles, Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) has been removed from the closer’s role by the Philadelphia Phillies. The hard-throwing Canadian blew a save on Opening Day against the Washington Nationals and has permitted at least two runs in three of his seven appearances this season. In some outings, his fastball velocity – which has traditionally been 96 to 98 mph – has dipped to the low 90s.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson has taken some of the blame for Romano’s struggles. He told reporters that it might have been a mistake for him to use Romano in three of the club’s first four games after the right-hander was coming off an elbow injury that had sidelined him for the final five months of the 2024 season.

After Romano allowed three runs without recording an out against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Sunday, Thomson gave the right-hander three days off before using him in the eighth inning against the Braves on Thursday. In that contest, Romano tossed a scoreless frame. He added another scoreless inning and recorded a hold in the Phillies’ 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

Romano signed a one-year, $8.5-million deal with the Phillies on December 9 after the Blue Jays declined to offer him arbitration.

The 31-year-old reliever underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow last July.

An Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team grad, Romano recorded 105 saves in six seasons with the Blue Jays prior to signing with the Phillies.

Toronto Mets alum Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) drove in thee runs for the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Photo: Miami Marlins

Hicks has three-RBI game

Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) enjoyed his first, three-RBI game in the majors in his club’s 10-5 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday.

The Toronto Mets alum contributed a two-run, bases-loaded single in the first inning off right-hander Clay Holmes and then added an RBI on a ground out to first that scored Griffin Conine in the sixth inning.

For the season, Hicks is batting .214 with six hits and four RBIs in 10 games.

The Marlins selected Hicks in the Rule 5 draft from the Detroit Tigers in December. He was originally chosen in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.

Smith picking up where he left off from last season

Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) was one of the best relievers in the majors last season and he has picked up exactly where he left off. The Cleveland Guardians reliever has not surrendered an earned run in his first eight appearances this season. In 7 2/3 innings, he has permitted three hits and struck out nine.

In 2024, Smith posted a 6-1 record and a 1.91 ERA in 74 relief appearances and struck out 103 batters in 75 1/3 innings. He topped all Canadian pitchers in ERA, games, holds (28), WAR (2.5), WHIP (0.90) and opponents’ batting average (.190). Among rookie major league relievers, he ranked first in innings pitched, tied for first in wins and second in games, strikeouts and holds.

Rose registered 4,000th hit at Big O

It was 41 years ago today that Pete Rose, then with the Montreal Expos, recorded his 4,000th major league hit. It was an opposite field double off Phillies left-hander Jerry Koosman in the fourth inning at Olympic Stadium.

Coincidentally, he had recorded his first MLB hit on the same date 21 years earlier.

The Expos had signed the then 42-year-old Rose to a one-year contract in January 1984. He batted .259 and recorded 72 hits in 95 games with the Expos before being dealt back to the Cincinnati Reds on August 16, 1984.

Zimmerman made MLB debut 26 years ago

On this date 26 years ago, Jeff Zimmerman (Kelowna, B.C.) made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers. The Canuck righty entered the game against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning and tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out four batters -including the first two he faced (Raul Ibanez and Domingo Cedeno) – in the Rangers’ 15-6 win.

The 6-foot-1 Canadian proceeded to dominate hitters for much of his rookie campaign. During the first half of the 1999 season, he posted an 8-0 record and a 0.86 ERA as the Rangers’ set-up man and was selected to the American League All-Star team.

He completed the season with a 9-3 record and a 2.36 ERA in 65 games and finished third in the American League Rookie of Year voting.

Royals’ slugger Pasquantino part Canadian?

Kansas City Royals first baseman/DH Vinnie Pasquantino was born in Richmond, Va., but played for Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He was recently asked on Moonball Media’s Diggin’ Deep podcast if he would play for Italy again in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and he joked (see graphic below) that he was “more eligible for Canada” than Italy.

This got me wondering what his Canadian connection was, so I asked Bob Elliott, who has more knowledge about Canadian links in baseball than anyone. Bob checked into it and it turns out Pasquantino, who had 19 home runs and 97 RBIs for the Royals last season, has a great-grandmother that was born in the Niagara Falls, Ont., area.

63 years ago, Daviault debuted with Mets

It was 63 years ago today that right-hander Ray Daviault (Montreal, Que.) made his MLB debut with the New York Mets. He came into the game in the eighth inning and allowed a run in two innings in the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Polo Grounds.

Daviault had two strikeouts, his first was Dick Stuart in the eighth inning followed by Dick Groat in the ninth. He also faced Roberto Clemente in his first inning and got the slugger to ground out to shortstop.

That debut performance was one of 36 appearances (three starts) Daviault made for the Mets in their inaugural season.

Radmanovich played first MLB game 27 years ago

On this date 27 years ago, Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, Alta.) made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners. Batting ninth and playing right field, he went 0-for-3 but fielded three balls flawlessly in the Mariners’ 6-5 loss to Cleveland at Jacobs Field. Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez were also in the M’s lineup that day.

It was the first of 25 games the left-handed hitting outfielder suited up for with the Mariners that season. He batted .217 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.

BWDIK: Brash, Hicks, Pasquantino, Pivetta, Romano, Smith